Nanoparticle-enhanced resin coated frac sand composition

ABSTRACT

A nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition is provided. The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition includes a silica sand, an epoxy resin, methanol, a hardener, and nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be silica nanoparticles, alumina nanoparticles, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, or titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles. The methanol is used as a diluent for the epoxy resin. The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition may be used as a proppant in a hydraulic fracturing operation, such by injecting a hydraulic fracturing fluid having the composition into a subterranean formation. Methods of manufacturing the composition and hydraulic fracturing of a subterranean formation are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.62/456,968 filed Feb. 9, 2017, and titled “NANOPARTICLE-ENHANCED RESINCOATED FRAC SAND COMPOSITION.” For purposes of United States patentpractice, this application incorporates the contents of the ProvisionalApplication by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure generally relates to hydraulic fracturing for oiland gas wells. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relateto a proppant for use in hydraulic fracturing.

Description of the Related Art

Hydraulic fracturing (also referred to as “fracking”) is used tostimulate production in hydrocarbon-containing formations by usingmaterials to break (“fracture”) a formation and release hydrocarbonssuch as oil and gas. After drilling a well, fracturing fluids such aswater or chemicals may be injected into the well to reach a sufficientpressure to fracture the formation. A fracturing fluid may containproppants such as sand (referred to as “frac sand”) or ceramic beads tohold open fractures created in the formation. Proppants such as fracsand have been used in hydraulic fracturing for several decades. Howeverdue to their brittle properties, existing frac sands are limited toconventional wells with relatively low pressure.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a nanoparticles andresin frac sand composition for use as a proppant in hydraulicfracturing. The nanoparticles and resin frac sand composition hasimproved mechanical properties as compared to conventional frac sandproducts and may be manufactured using less coating materials (that is,less resin). The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand maintains arelatively high fracture conductivity for well completion underpressure. By using less coating materials such as resins, thenanoparticle-resin coated frac sand may minimize the reduction offracture conductivity caused by the deformation of such coatingmaterials under pressure.

In one embodiment, nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand is provided. Thenanoparticle-resin coated frac sand includes a silica sand particle atleast partially encapsulated by a cross-linked epoxy resin andnanoparticle matrix. The matrix includes at least one nanoparticleadhered to by the cross-linked resin. In some embodiments, the silicasand particle is fully encapsulated by the cross-linked epoxy resin andnanoparticle matrix. In some embodiments, the epoxy resin is bisphenol Aepichlorohydrin. In some embodiments, the cross-linked epoxy resin is anepoxy resin polymer cross-linked with a hardener. In some embodiments,the hardener is diethylenetriamine. In some embodiments, the at leastone nanoparticle includes a silica nanoparticle.

In another embodiment, a composition for forming a hydraulic fracturingsand particle is provided. The composition includes a silica sand, anepoxy resin, methanol acting as a diluent for the epoxy resin, ahardener, and a plurality of nanoparticles. In some embodiments, thehardener is diethylenetriamine. In some embodiments, the silica sand hasa sieve size of 20/40. In some embodiments, the epoxy resin is bisphenolA epichlorohydrin. In some embodiments, the plurality of nanoparticlesare a plurality of silica nanoparticles and may have an average diameterin the range of 10 nanometers (nm) to of 70 nm. In some embodiments, theplurality of nanoparticles have a concentration in the range of 4%weight percentage of the total weight (w/w %) to about 5 w/w %.

In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a composition forforming a hydraulic fracturing sand particle is provided. The methodincludes diluting an epoxy resin with methanol to form a diluted resinand mixing the diluted resin with a plurality of nanoparticles to form aresin-nanoparticle mixture. The method further includes heating a firstamount of a silica sand to a temperature of at least 300° F., adding theresin-nanoparticle mixture to the heated sand to form aresin-nanoparticle-sand mixture, and adding a mixture of hardener andwater to the resin-nanoparticle-sand mixture to form ahardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture. The method also includescuring the hardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture for a period andquenching the hardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture by adding asecond amount of the silica sand to form the composition. In someembodiments, the mixture of hardener and water includes a volumetricratio of hardener:water of 1:1. In some embodiments, the period is atleast 3 minutes. In some embodiments, the plurality of nanoparticleshave a concentration in the range of 4% weight percentage of the totalweight (w/w %) to about 5 w/w %. In some embodiments, the hardener isdiethylenetriamine. In some embodiments, the sand has a sieve size of20/40. In some embodiments, the epoxy resin is bisphenol Aepichlorohydrin. In some embodiments, the plurality of nanoparticles area plurality of silica nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the methodincludes stirring the resin-nanoparticle mixture for at least 5 minutesbefore mixing the diluted resin with the plurality of nanoparticles toform the resin-nanoparticle mixture. In some embodiments, the methodincludes stirring the resin-nanoparticle-sand mixture for at least 5minutes before adding the mixture of hardener and water to theresin-nanoparticle-sand mixture. In some embodiments, the second amountof sand is at least 5 weight percentage of the total weight (w/w %).

In another embodiment, a method of hydraulic fracturing a subterraneanformation is provided. The method includes injecting a hydraulic fluidinto a subterranean formation. The proppant composition includes asilica sand, an epoxy resin, methanol acting as a diluent for the epoxyresin, a hardener, and a plurality of nanoparticles. In someembodiments, the hardener is diethylenetriamine. In some embodiments,the epoxy resin is bisphenol A epichlorohydrin. In some embodiments, theplurality of nanoparticles are a plurality of silica nanoparticles. Insome embodiments, the plurality of nanoparticles have a concentration inthe range of 4% weight percentage of the total weight (w/w %) to about 5w/w %.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a process for manufacturing ananoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition in accordance withembodiments of the disclosure; and

FIG. 2 is a plot of the results of a crushing test performed on a fracsand, a frac sand coated with resin, and an example nanoparticle-resincoated frac sand composition in accordance with embodiments of thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of thedisclosure. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the illustratedembodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey thescope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

Embodiments of the disclosure include a nanoparticle-resin coated fracsand composition for use as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing. Theembodiment composition comprises a nanoparticle-resin coated frac sandcomprising a silica sand particle at least partially encapsulated by across-linked epoxy resin/nanoparticle matrix. In some embodiments, thesilica sand particle may be fully encapsulated by the cross-linked epoxyresin/nanoparticle matrix. The cross-linked epoxy resin is an epoxyresin polymer cross-linked with a hardener. The matrix comprises atleast one nanoparticle adhered to by the cross-linked epoxy resin. Thecomposition to make the nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand compositionincludes a silica sand, an epoxy resin, methanol, a hardener, and aplurality of nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the epoxy resin isbisphenol A (BPA) epichlorohydrin. The methanol may be used as a diluentfor the epoxy resin. In some embodiments, the hardener isdiethylenetriamine, triethylenetrimane, or isophorone diamine. In someembodiments, the nanoparticles may be silica nanoparticles, aluminananoparticles, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, or titanium oxide (TiO₂)nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle-resin coated fracsand composition includes a silica sand, bisphenol A epichlorohydrinresin, methanol, diethylenetriamine hardener, and a plurality of silicananoparticles.

The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition may be used as aproppant in a hydraulic fracturing operation. For example, a hydraulicfracturing fluid may be injected into a subterranean formation to inducefractures in the formation. For example, the hydraulic fracturing fluidmay include water and other components, such as polymers, crosslinkers,fluid loss additives, flow back additives, surfactants, claystabilizers, and gel breakers. In some embodiments, thenanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition may be added to thehydraulic fracturing fluid as a proppant to hold open induced fracturesin a formation, such that injecting the hydraulic fracturing fluidincludes injecting the proppant. In some embodiments, the hydraulicfracturing fluid may be injected into a subterranean formation, and atreatment fluid (for example, water) having the nanoparticle-resincoated frac sand composition may be subsequently injected.

Nanoparticle-Enhanced Resin Coated Frac Sand Compositions andManufacture

In some embodiments, a nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand compositionincludes a sand, a resin, a resin diluent, a hardener, and nanoparticlesto produce a plurality of sand particles at least partially encapsulatedby a cross-linked epoxy resin/nanoparticle matrix. In some embodiments,for example, a nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition includesa sand, an epoxy resin, methanol, a hardener, and nanoparticles toproduce a plurality of sand particles at least partially encapsulated bya cross-linked epoxy resin/nanoparticle matrix. In some embodiments, thesand is 20/40 silica sand (that is, a silica sand having a sieve cut of20/40 such that the sand particles have a size range of about 420 μm toabout 840 μm). In other embodiments, other sizes of silica sands may beused.

In some embodiments, the epoxy resin is bisphenol A epichlorohydrin. Insome embodiments, the epoxy resin is Razeen® epoxy resin manufactured byJubail Chemical Industries Company (JANA) of Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Forexample, in some embodiments, the epoxy resin may be Razeen® LR1100manufactured by Jubail Chemical Industries Company (JANA) of Jubail,Saudi Arabia. In other embodiments, other Razeen® epoxy resins or othersuitable resins may be used. For example, in other embodiments, theresin may be a phenolic resin, a polyurethane resin, a polyuria resin,or a polyester resin. In some embodiments, the diluent for the resin maybe methanol. In other embodiments, the diluent may include othersuitable polar solvents, such as ethanol, xylene, methylethylketone, andacetone.

In some embodiments, the hardener is an amino hardener. In someembodiments, for example, the hardener is diethylenetriamine. In otherembodiments, the hardener may be triethylenetrimane or isophoronediamine. In yet other embodiments, the hardener may be an aldehydehardener.

In some embodiments, the nanoparticles are silica nanoparticles. In suchembodiments the silicon nanoparticles may have an average diameter of 70nm. In other embodiments, the silica nanoparticles have an averagediameter of 10 nm. In other embodiments, the silica nanoparticles usedin the frac sand composition may have an average diameter in the rangeof about 10 nm to about 70 nm. In some embodiments, the silicananoparticles may be obtained from AkzoNobel of Amsterdam, theNetherlands. In other embodiments, the frac sand composition may includeother types of nanoparticles having an average diameter in the range ofabout 100 nm to about 600 nm. For example, in some embodiments, thenanoparticles may be metal oxide particles such as aluminananoparticles, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, or titanium oxide (TiO₂)nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles may be aluminananoparticles having an average diameter of 100 nm. In some embodiments,the nanoparticles may be zinc oxide nanoparticles having an averagediameter of 650 nm. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles may betitanium oxide nanoparticles having an average diameter of 360 nm.

In some embodiments, commercially available particles may be used. Table1 lists example particles, sizes, states, and solvents for variouscommercially available particles suitable for use with thenanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition described in thedisclosure:

TABLE 1 Example Particles Name and Average State Chemical Particle(Dispersion Manufacturer Formula Size (nm) or Solid) Solvent (ProductName) silica (SiO₂) 17 Dispersion Water AkzoNobel of Amsterdam, theNetherlands (CB17) silica (SiO₂) 12 Dispersion Water and AkzoNobel ofethanol Amsterdam, the Netherlands (CC401) zinc oxide 650 Solid N/AArabian Zinc of (ZnO) Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia (SA901) titania (TiO₂) 360Solid N/A Sigma-Aldrich of St Louis, Missouri, USA alumina 90 Solid N/AN/A (Al₂O₃)

In embodiments, the nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition mayinclude a nanoparticle concentration in the range of about 4 weightpercentage of the total weight (w/w %) to about 5 w/w %. In someembodiments, the weight ratio of sand:resin:hardener:nanoparticles maybe 100:3:0.6:0.15. In other embodiments, the amounts of resin andhardener may be adjusted based on the amount of nanoparticles includedin the composition. In some embodiments, a nanoparticle-resin coatedfrac sand composition includes silica sand, bisphenol A epichlorohydrinresin, methanol, triethylenetrimane hardener, and silica nanoparticles.

FIG. 1 depicts a process 100 for manufacturing a nanoparticle-resincoated frac sand composition in accordance with an embodiment of thedisclosure. Initially, a resin (for example, an epoxy resin) for use inthe composition may be diluted with a diluent (for example, methanol) tofrom a diluted resin. For example, an epoxy resin may be diluted 10% byvolume with methanol to form the diluted resin (block 1012). The dilutedresin may be mixed with nanoparticles to form a resin-nanoparticlemixture (block 104). For example, the diluted resin may be mixed withsilica nanoparticles, alumina nanoparticles, zinc oxide (ZnO)nanoparticles, or titanium oxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles. The diluted resinand nanoparticles may be stirred to ensure homogenous dispersal of thenanoparticles in the resin. For example, the diluted resin andnanoparticles may be stirred for a time period of at least 5 minutes.

Next, a silica sand for use in the composition may be heated to atemperature of at least 300° F. (block 106). The resin-nanoparticlemixture may be added to the heated sand to form asand-resin-nanoparticle mixture (block 108). For example, in someembodiments the resin-nanoparticle mixture drop-by-drop using a syringeor other suitable device, and the resulting sand-resin-nanoparticlemixture may be stirred for a time period, such as 5 minutes.

A hardener for use in the composition may be mixed with water to form ahardener-water mixture (block 110). In some embodiments, the hardenermay be mixed with water in a volumetric ratio of 1:1. In someembodiments, for example, the hardener may be diethylenetriamine,triethylenetrimane, or isophorone diamine. Next, thesand-resin-nanoparticle mixture may be removed from heating, and thehardener-water mixture may be added to the sand-resin-nanoparticlemixture to form a hardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture (block 112).In some embodiments, the hardener-water mixture may be added to thesand-resin-nanoparticle mixture using a syringe or other suitabledevice.

Next, the hardener-frac sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture may be cured fora time period (block 114). In some embodiments, the hardener-fracsand-resin-nanoparticle mixture may be cured for a time period of atleast 5 minutes. The cured hardener-frac sand-resin-nanoparticle mixturemay then be quenched by adding a second amount of sand to the mixture toform the proppant composition (block 116). In some embodiments, thesecond amount of sand may be at least 5 w/w % of the hardener-fracsand-resin-nanoparticle mixture. The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sandcomposition produces a plurality of sand particles at least partiallyencapsulated by a cross-linked epoxy resin/nanoparticle matrix.

The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition forms hydraulicfracturing sand particles that may be used in a hydraulic fracturingoperation to hold open fractures created in the formation afterinducement of the fractures. In some embodiments, a process of hydraulicfracturing a subterranean formation may be performed by injecting ahydraulic fracturing fluid having the nanoparticle-resin frac sandcomposition into a subterranean formation. For example, the hydraulicfracturing fluid may include water and other components, such aspolymers, crosslinkers, fluid loss additives, flow back additives,surfactants, clay stabilizers, and gel breakers. In some embodiments, atreatment fluid containing the nanoparticle-resin frac sand compositionmay be injected into the subterranean formation after injection of ahydraulic fracturing fluid. For example, the treatment fluid may bewater such that water having the nanoparticle-resin frac sandcomposition may be injected into the subterranean formation.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are included to demonstrate embodiments of thedisclosure. It should be appreciated by those of skill in the art thatthe techniques and compositions disclosed in the example which followsrepresents techniques and compositions discovered to function well inthe practice of the disclosure, and thus can be considered to constitutemodes for its practice. However, those of skill in the art should, inlight of the present disclosure, appreciate that many changes can bemade in the specific embodiments which are disclosed and still obtain alike or a similar result without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe disclosure.

An example nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition was preparedand tested according to the techniques described herein. The examplenanoparticle-resin coated frac sand includes a silica sand, an epoxyresin of bisphenol-A epicholorhydrin, a hardener of diethylenetriamine,methanol, and silica nanoparticles. The silica sand had a sieve cut of20/40 (that is, the size range of the silica sand particles rangebetween sieve mesh sizes 20 and 40 (420 micrometers (μm)-840 μm). Theepoxy resin was Razeen® epoxy resin obtained from Jubail ChemicalIndustries Company (JANA) of Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The epoxy resin wasselected as the resin backbone for coating the silica sand and reactedwith the hardener when treated. The hardener was used to crosslink theepoxy resin backbones via a ring-opening reaction of the amino groups,such that the diethylenetriamine molecules react with the resinmolecules and become part of the crosslinked epoxy resin backbones. Themethanol was used to dilute the epoxy resin and ensure sufficient mixingwith the silica nanoparticle dispersion. The silica nanoparticles wereobtained from AkzoNobel of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The silicananoparticles had an average diameter of 70 nanometers (nm) and weredispersed in water at a concentration of about 40 w/w %. The silicananoparticles were used as fillings of the epoxy resin to enhance themechanical properties of the resin coating of the silica sand.

The example nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand was prepared accordingto a weight ratio of sand:resin:hardener:nanoparticles (that is, theweight of pure nanoparticles) of 100:3:0.6:0.15. The concentration ofsilica nanoparticles (that is, the weight of pure nanoparticles) toepoxy resin was 5 w/w %. The example nanoparticle-resin coated frac sandwas prepared and tested according to the following procedure:

1. The silica nanoparticles were mixed with the resin by diluting theresin with methanol with a volume of 10% and then mixing the dilutedresin with the silica nanoparticles. The resin-nanoparticle mixture wasstirred for a time period of 5 minutes such that the nanoparticles werehomogenously dispersed in the resin.

2. The frac sand was heated to a temperature of about 300° F. andstirred with a mechanical mixer while heated.

3. The resin-nanoparticle mixture was added to the frac sanddrop-by-drop via a syringe. After the addition of all of theresin-nanoparticle mixture, the resulting mixture was stirred via themechanical mixer for a time period of 5 minutes.

4. The hardener was mixed with water in a ratio of 1:1 by volume to slowthe curing speed and avoid aggregation. The frac sand resin-nanoparticlemixture was removed from heating and the hardener-water mixture wasadded to the frac sand resin-nanoparticle mixture drop by drop via asyringe. The hardener-frac sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture was allowedto cure for a time period of about 3 minutes.

5. The hardener-frac sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture was quenched byadding 5 w/w % of frac sand to the mixture. The added frac sand may beat room temperature to absorb heat from and cool the heatedhardener-frac sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture. After quenching thetemperature of the mixture was cooled to about 200° F. The mixture wasallowed to further cool at ambient conditions.

6. Sieve analysis was performed on the nanoparticle-resin coated fracsand, frac sand (20/40) without resin, and frac sand coated with resinwithout the silica nanoparticles to determine the size distribution foreach frac sand. The sieves used in the sieve analysis were mesh sizes16, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 50. Table 2 depicts the results of the sieveanalysis:

TABLE 2 Sieve Analysis Results Frac sand coated with Sieve resin withoutthe silica Nanoparticle-resin Size Frac sand (20/40) nanoparticlescoated frac sand 16 0.02% 9.61% 3.17% 20 0.61% 48.46% 19.17% 25 80.34%34.80% 68.53% 30 18.05% 6.31% 7.17% 35 0.96% 0.73% 1.65%

7. A crushing test was performed on example nanoparticle-resin coatedfrac sand, frac sand (20/40 silica sand) without resin, and frac sandcoated with resin without the silica nanoparticles. The crushing testwas performed according to International Organization forStandardization (ISO) 13503-2:2006.

FIG. 2 depicts the results of the crushing test performed on a fracsand, a frac sand coated with resin without nanoparticles, and theexample nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand. FIG. 1 is a plot 200 ofstress (in pounds-per-square inch (psi) and shown on the x-axis 202) vs.crushed percentage (shown on the y-axis 204) and depicts performance ofthe various frac sand compositions in response to crushing stress. Forexample, the crushing results for the 20/40 frac sand without resin arerepresented by line 206, the crushing results for the resin coated fracsand without nanoparticles are represented by line 206, and the crushingresults for the example nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand isrepresented by line 210.

As shown in FIG. 1, at least 20% of the 20/40 frac sand without resinwas crushed at a stress of about 5,000 psi, and nearly half of the 20/40frac sand without resin was crushed at a stress of about 12,500 psi. Theresin-coated frac sand without nanoparticles performed better than the20/40 frac sand, as 10,000 psi stress was required to crush over 20% ofthe resin-coated frac sand without nanoparticles. As shown in FIG. 1,the example nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand outperformed the 20/40frac sand and the resin-coated frac sand without nanoparticles. Forexample, at 10,000 psi stress, less than 20% of the examplenanoparticle-resin coated frac sand composition was crushed. Even at12,500 psi stress, less than 20% of the example nanoparticle-resin fracsand composition was crushed.

Ranges may be expressed in the disclosure as from about one particularvalue, to about another particular value, or both. When such a range isexpressed, it is to be understood that another embodiment is from theone particular value, to the other particular value, or both, along withall combinations within said range.

Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects ofthe disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view ofthis description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed asillustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled inthe art the general manner of carrying out the embodiments described inthe disclosure. It is to be understood that the forms shown anddescribed in the disclosure are to be taken as examples of embodiments.Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated anddescribed in the disclosure, parts and processes may be reversed oromitted, and certain features may be utilized independently, all aswould be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit ofthis description. Changes may be made in the elements described in thedisclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosureas described in the following claims. Headings used described in thedisclosure are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to beused to limit the scope of the description.

What is claimed is:
 1. A nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand,comprising: a silica sand particle at least partially encapsulated by across-linked resin and nanoparticle matrix, the matrix comprising atleast one nanoparticle adhered to by the cross-linked resin, wherein theat least one nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of azinc oxide nanoparticle and a titania nanoparticle, wherein the at leastone nanoparticle has a concentration in the range of 4% weightpercentage of the total weight (w/w %) to about 5 w/w % and a crushingperformance of less than 20% crushed at 12,500 psi stress.
 2. Thenanoparticle-resin coated frac sand of claim 1, wherein the silica sandparticle is fully encapsulated by the cross-linked epoxy resin andnanoparticle matrix.
 3. The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand of claim1, wherein the resin comprises an epoxy resin.
 4. The nanoparticle-resincoated frac sand of claim 3, wherein the epoxy resin comprises bisphenolA epichlorohydrin.
 5. The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sand of claim1, wherein the cross-linked epoxy resin is an epoxy resin polymercross-linked with a hardener.
 6. The nanoparticle-resin coated frac sandof claim 5, wherein the hardener comprises diethylenetriamine.
 7. Acomposition for forming a hydraulic fracturing sand particle comprising:a silica sand; a resin; a diluent for the resin; a hardener; and aplurality of nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are selected fromthe group consisting of zinc oxide nanoparticles and titaniananoparticles, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles have aconcentration in the range of 4% weight percentage of the total weight(w/w %) to about 5 w/w % and a crushing performance of less than 20%crushed at 12,500 psi stress.
 8. The composition of claim 7, wherein thehardener comprises diethylenetriamine.
 9. The composition of claim 7,wherein the silica sand has a sieve size of 20/40.
 10. The compositionof claim 7, wherein the resin comprises an epoxy resin.
 11. Thecomposition of claim 10, wherein the epoxy resin comprises bisphenol Aepichlorohydrin.
 12. The composition of claim 7, wherein the diluentcomprises methanol.
 13. The composition of claim 1, wherein the silicasand particle at least partially encapsulated by a cross-linked resinand nanoparticle matrix is formed by: diluting the resin with a diluentto form a diluted resin: mixing the diluted resin with the least onenanoparticle to form a resin-nanoparticle mixture; adding theresin-nanoparticle mixture to the silica sand particle to form aresin-nanoparticle-sand mixture; adding a mixture of hardener and waterto the resin-nanoparticle-sand mixture to form ahardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture; curing thehardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture; and quenching thehardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture.
 14. The composition of claim7, wherein the composition is formed by: diluting the resin with thediluent to form a diluted resin: mixing the diluted resin with theplurality of nanoparticles to form a resin-nanoparticle mixture; heatinga first amount of the silica sand; adding the resin-nanoparticle mixtureto the heated sand to form a resin-nanoparticle-sand mixture; adding amixture of the hardener and water to the resin-nanoparticle-sand mixtureto form a hardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture; curing thehardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture; and quenching thehardener-sand-resin-nanoparticle mixture by adding a second amount ofthe silica sand.